Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Leading New Testament scholar N.T. Wright has taken C.S. Lewis’s seat at the table. As Lewis changed the way people looked at Christianity, read their Bibles and thought about God in the twentieth century, Wright will do the same in the twenty-first. Like Lewis, Wright has a talent for making difficult biblical concepts accessible to the average person.

He is a primary scholar in the New Perspective on Paul. Wright sheds light on aspects of Paul and his theology that have left to gather dust in the dark corners of church tradition.

Wright's rise to popularity makes him a lightning rod for controversy. He intends to educate, but theological sacred cows are kicked over in the process. Incoming criticism rains down on him from several theological strong-holds. Some he deflects and some he absorbs. His most public fire-fight revolves around his treatment of the Doctrine of Justification.

Opponents say that Wright's New Perspective is out of balance; that examining Paul in a historical Jewish context is a mistake. Wright's answer: "...we end up reading [Paul] as though was really a 17th-century theologian born out of due time..." Wright posits in his book Paul: In Fresh Perspective that most of what we accept about Paul is based on scholarship that has been delivered to the world since the Reformation. But Paul pre-dates the Reformation.

Author Scot McKnight attempts to sum up the New Perspective in three bullet points:

1. Judaism was not a works-earns-salvation religion. 2. Paul was therefore not opposing a works-earns-salvation religion. 3. Therefore, the Reformation's way of framing the entire message of the New Testament as humans seeking to earn their own redemption rests on shaky historical grounds.

"Right or wrong," writes McKnight, "the New Perspective is the most Protestant move made in the 20th Century -- and by that I only mean that it seeks to get back to the Bible and challenge our beliefs in light of what we find in that Bible."

Wright's new book, Justification, is a response to his critics. Wright gives a thorough explanation of justification doctrinally and exegetically from Paul's epistles. Piper, in his book, explains justification against the backdrop of Reformed Tradition appealing mostly to Luther and Calvin rather than re-examining the Bible in its historical context.

Piper's position on the doctrine of justification is that the righteousness of Christ and His perfect obedience is imputed to the believer once faith is placed in Christ. That is, Christ's perfect obedience, morality and virtue becomes the believer's perfect obedience, morality, and virtue. Piper makes the point that Wright believes God merely declares us righteous based on the work of Christ and includes us in His family.

Wright does not hide the fact that this is what he believes: That Jesus defeated evil and sin and took our place on the cross. God vindicated Jesus by raising Him from the dead and in our identification with that (the resurrection) we, too, are vindicated. This is what Justification does. Wright says that we are given status as righteous, but that - and here's where the Calvinist's cages get rattled - obedience, morality and virtue are worked out in the believer's life through the Holy Spirit.

But this looks like a works based way of pleasing God the Calvinist traditionalist will say. It looks like "works of the law" are what please God and we all know that this can't be true because only faith pleases God.

Piper disputes Wright’s take on the doctrine of Justification. Piper is convinced that Paul teaches the necessity to know what Justification IS, not just what it DOES. If one doesn’t know what it IS, then one’s understanding of what Christ accomplished on the cross will be misunderstood. In fact, Piper fears that what the church believes about Justification may be distorted for years to come due to Wright’s ever expanding influence.

"Discovering that God is gracious," writes Wright, "rather than a distant bureaucrat or a dangerous tyrant, is the good news that constantly surprises and refreshes us. But we are not the center of the universe. God is not circling around us. We are circling around him. It may look, from our point of view, as though 'me and my salvation' are the be-all and end-all of Christianity. Sadly, many people--many devout Christians!--have preached that way and lived that way. This problem is not peculiar to the churches of the Reformation."

Wright presents justification less in terms of personal conversion and more in terms of "who is in the people of God."

Piper, seems to think covenantal readings belittle Paul. To this, Wright says, "Dealing with sin, saving humans from it, giving them grace, forgiveness, justification, glorification -- all this was the purpose of the single covenant from the beginning, now fulfilled in Jesus Christ".

Justification is embedded in the covenant -- "the saving call of a worldwide family through whom God's saving purposes for the world were to be realized."

Wright uses the imagery of a divine court of law as the controlling environment for justification and he sees God as judge finding in favor --giving righteous status-- of those who believe in Jesus Christ.

The emphasis of Wright's writing is that Christianity runs deep within a person and effects every part of a person's life; it changes the way a person sees the world (as God’s New Creation) and his or her own participation in the world (building for God’s Kingdom here on earth).

"It isn't that God basically wants to condemn and then finds a way to rescue some from that disaster. It is that God longs to bless, to bless lavishly, and so to rescue and bless those in danger of tragedy - and therefore must curse everything that thwarts and destroys the blessing of his world and his people."

Wright's hope is that this robust dialogue between himself and his critics "will send the next generation of thoughtful Christians back to Scripture itself, not to this or that tradition."

God gives wisdom freely. We just need to ask Him for it. (A Proverb a day keeps the devil away.)

Seven point decision filter:

The Word of God

Prayer

Seek wise counsel

the peace that rules your heart (Col. 3:15)

Circumstances and timing

Divine revelation (prophecy, word of knowledge)

Waiting in faith; active faith

The Soldiers Promises (John 14)

v 12a: we will do the works Jesus did...

v 12b: we will do greater works than Jesus did...

vv 13&14: whatever is asked in Jesus name He will do...

vv 15-27: the Father will give you another Helper (the Holy Spirit) a. He is our Comforter b. the Spirit dwells in and with you c. the Spirit will never leave you d. He will manifest Himself to us in times of need e. the Holy Spirit is the abiding presence of the Trinity f. teaches all things and brings them to remembrance g. He gives true peace

1 Chron. 12:8

Gadites: Mighty men [and women] of valor. We're called to be like Gadites; soldiers for Christ.

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Pastor Phil Twente is the mission pastor at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. His old school style and wisdom are refreshingly bottom line. No minced words.

Is your name Jacob or Israel?

Text: Genesis 32

Jacob knew that his time to leave Laban was near.

Jacob has everyone upset with him. He can't go backward because hard feelings and jealousy from his in-laws endanger him and he faces bitterness and vengeance as he moves forward toward the brother he wronged.

Jacob begins to stand on the promises of God:Genesis 32:9-12 9 Then Jacob said, “O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the LORD who said to me, ‘Return to your country and to your family, and I will deal well with you’:

Then Jacob becomes humble before God:10 I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two companies.

The request:11 Deliver me, I pray, from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau;

His honesty:...for I fear him, lest he come and attack me and the mother with the children.

Stands on the promise God made:12 For You said, ‘I will surely treat you well, and make your descendants as the sand of the sea, which cannot be numbered for multitude.’”

What promises can you stand on?

Here are a few:

ask of Me and I'll give you the nations...

call unto Me and I will answer thee...

whatever you ask in My Name I will do...

the Father will give you another Helper...

I will not leave you nor forsake you...

abide in Me and I will abide in you... and you will bear much fruit...

ask in My Name and the Father will give it... that your joy may be full...

if we ask according to His will, He hears us...

God leads us in triumph in Christ with a fragrance of His name in every place...

The above are obviously my paraphrase of the scriptures quickly read, but they should be familiar to you. If not, plug the above phrases into your Bible software and get familiar with the stories that frame the above promises.

When Jacob wrestled with the Lord, he lost. But with the Lord, that's how you win.

No matter how great the place you're visiting is, there's no place like home. I'm ready to go home and see the Charming and Beautiful Susan and my little Allie. Tomorrow Allie turns three and that only makes me miss home all the more.

This is typical of being away from home. Strange bed, strange food, and strange schedule wear you down, make you moody, and make you sad. What's the answer?

Suck it up. Before you know it, the trip will come to an end, the tables will turn, and you're disappointed that the trip was over so soon. That's typically the way the cycle works.

Gratitude is the best attitude. Be thankful for the opportunity to explore new horizons and thankful that home is such a great place to return to.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Nelson just expresses his love for we oddballs in the Body of Christ. He wears his pastor's heart on his sleeve and it's pleasant to observe.

Text: Ephesians 2:10-22.

Being the church is very different from simply doing church. Now there's a thought. 'Cause I'm tired of doing church. It's exhausting. But this is supposed to be commentary on Pete, not my opinion. What're you gonna do?

I'm so glad this guy's here.

Workmanship: poemia; work of art...

The tragedy: were created in God's image, but we're marred by sin. Sin is tragic. But Christ's sacrifice makes something beautiful out of artwork that's been vandalized. He remakes; refashions us like the way only a Master can.

Here's a picture: Imagine Jesus looking down from the cross and saying: "This relationship is no longer fulfilling to me."

One of Pete Nelson's favorite things in life is to be at the Bible College in Hungary. It's a pleasure to hear someone teach when he's doing what he love best.

Text: 2 Timothy 1:6-12

2 Timothy 1:6-7 (English Standard Version)

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

This is Paul's last letter. Megalomaniac Caesar Nero is in power and Paul is in a dungeon waiting for death. Paul is writing to Timothy as one soldier to another; mentor to disciple.

Paul wants Timothy to know that he has nothing to fear. No matter how oppressive the present regime may be, you belong to God. Fear is not from God. Timidity and cowardice are not from God. Courage is.

Cowards are on this list:

Rev 21:8 But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.

Fear of failure is our biggest fear. Paul's encourages Timothy to stir up the gift within him.

My run this morning was fantastic. I love running while away from home. Today's run took me down a dirt road through the woods in the rolling Hungarian countryside.

I saw a few of these dudes (pictured left). The French use them for escargot. Eat them up. Yum.

I ran down the road till it took a sharp turn to the left at the entrance of a sheep farm. I ran until I saw a sign I couldn't read. But the bright red lettering punctuated with an exclamation informed me that if I went any further I may be eaten by hungry dogs or maybe get myself a rear end full of buck shot.

I am a discerning runner. That seemed like a good place to turn around.

Confession of sin needs to be handled when approaching God in worship. Cleansing and confession needs to happen.

Consecration: giving our whole selves to the Lord.

Peace offering: communion with God. This is the part of worship we enjoy; the part that feels like it's for us. The end result of worship is that God's children are blessed as they give honest, transparent, God-directed worship to Him.

And I will very gladly spend and be spent for your souls; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I am loved.

At times ministry is difficult, but Paul was glad to spend and be spent.

Rights as Christians; Paul gave up his in order to reach whoever wherever. "Am I willing to give my rights for the sake of the gospel?" Billings asks. That can mean comforts, privileges, or possessions. At times, these things must be given up so that others can benefit from the way God wants to bless through you (you are not the last stop for God's blessing).

Ministry can be discouraging...

Billings shared his greatest fear: that he would limit God.

That's a hard concept to imagine; setting limits on God. But I can set limits on my availability to be used by God therefore setting limits on how much He uses me.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Bill Goodrich took the podium the first night of the conference and spoke to us about being soldiers in the Army of Jesus Christ.

2 Timothy 2:3 (New King James Version)You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

Bill helped to support and encourage the work of missionaries in Ukraine. He spoke about the work and testimony of George Markey, super-missionary in Ukraine. Markey was a tireless example of a Soldier of Jesus Christ.

The Call of the Soldier... (Jeremiah 1)

The Soldier is Called. It's the call of the soldier that keeps him moving forward to accomplish the mission. The call is a privilege. The call is for the good times and rough times. The call is precious.

It's necessary to remind yourself that God knows you, formed you, and set you apart for the task He's called you to. God has ordained you for the calling.

God's call brings us to a crisis of belief.

But...

God gives you the encouragement to move forward.

God will touch you with His strength.

God will fill our mouths with His words.

God will continue to define the work He's called you to

God will give eyes to see His vision.

God will continue to clarify His purposes as you move forward.

God allows for preparation.

God expects you to take action.

As you walk in God's call, He will fortify you against attacks from your enemies and will walkwith you.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Is there a place for ambition in ministry? Is this huge leadership push in church culture balanced or biblical?

Desiring to become a leader is a good thing according to the pastoral counsel the Apostle Paul gave to the young man, Timothy, he gave Timothy. It's even noble to want to be a leader. But things don't always move on your time schedule. Why is that?

When Christians find that they are not moving forward in ministry as quickly as expected, they are in a Test of Promotion. The Christian is tempted to become angry and bitter about his or her lack of advancement or influence.

"Doesn’t God know how much He needs me?"

This test can come into a Christian’s life at any point in his or her ministry.

What will happen? Will the Christian promote him or herself, or will the Christian allow God to promote in His own time?

Psalm 75:1-71[1] We give thanks to You, O God, we give thanks! For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near. 2"When I choose the proper time, I will judge uprightly. 3The earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved; I set up its pillars firmly. Selah 4"I said to the boastful, "Do not deal boastfully,' And to the wicked, "Do not lift up the horn. 5Do not lift up your horn on high; Do not speak with a stiff neck."' 6For exaltation comes neither from the east Nor from the west nor from the south. 7But God is the Judge: He puts down one, And exalts another.

Promotion comes from the Lord. But preparation and testing come before promotion.

1 Timothy 3 10But let these also first be tested; then let them serve as deacons, being found blameless.

Monday, June 15, 2009

It's hard to know exactly why Frank Schaffer wrote this book. I'll tell you right off the bat that it's a good read. No, a great read. But as to Schaffer's purpose for writing this book, it's anybody's guess. It's my opinion that he felt he had an important story to tell and no matter how you dress it up, celebrity life, no matter how pristine in appearance, can have a dirty, gritty, even disgusting side to it.

Frank Schaffer grew up the youngest child and only son of Francis and Edith Schaffer. The Schaffers were unbelievably influential in Christian Evangelicalism in the 60's, 70's and on into the 80's. Francis Schaffer was a profound thinker and apologist for the Christian faith. Edith was a fantastic and influential writer.

Franky was hell on wheels as a kid. We in the church world refer to him as a PK; a pastor's kid. I'm painting with a broad brush (you be the judge), but most of us that have volunteered in children's ministry have watched the pastor's kid control, manipulate, and use their daddy's position as pastor to conquer and divide. Franky Schaffer describes himself as this kind of kid that grew into that kind of young man.

His honesty about his family's flaws is brutal. His honesty about his own flaws is self-effacing and seriously entertaining. But I was saddened about what he had to say about his parents. He exposed all the flaws they worked so hard to keep private. But like a rubber-necker driving by a car accident, I drove by slow so I could take in all of the gore Schaffer dished out.

Let me pause here to say I am amazed at how and who God chooses to use and work through. Francis and Edith Schaffer touched and were used to heal and turn around the lives of thousands of people that came through their L'Abri ministry is Switzerland. Their books and audio tapes influenced an entire generation of Christian thinkers. They opened up eyes of the Christian community to the beauty of God's creation in art as well as the depths of horror humans are capable of as they permit abortion on demand. For all their family weaknesses, God still chose to use them mightily. And that gives me hope.

Schaffer's book gives us a peek behind the curtain. The Great Oz is just a guy pulling levers, pushing buttons, amplifying sound and projecting a giant image of himself. But the Great Wizard of Oz is not God, he's not a wizard, and he's not even that great. That's what we find when we go behind the scenes in Christian ministry. Their is family politics and nepotism run rampant in many of the biggest and most "successful" of ministries. Money and power are definitely the levers being pulled. Sometimes God is further from the "action" than the ministry leaders say he is. If that's what your brain tells you about some of our most high profile ministries, you might want to listen to your brain.

At least that's the take-away I get from Crazy for God.

I really liked this book and want to recommend it to you with a few cautions: First, I don't think Schaffer wrote this book for a Christian audience. He's busted out of the "Christian Publishing Ghetto" (his words), and he doesn't seem to be looking back. Second, there's cussing, adolescent humor (genuinely funny and a little too close to home) about masturbation; definitely locker-room humor. Thirdly, if you love Francis Schaffer's work, you'll be upset about the things his son has written. At least you should be. But don't let that stop you from getting this book because it's well written and will make you feel like you're less evil than your conscience (or your mother-in-law) is leading you to believe you are.

Os Guinness has an interesting take on Schaffer's book. Check it out here.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

This is Allie's new thing-a-ma-jig for standing practice. They started her in it at physical therapy for eight minutes at a time and then sent us home with it. She went eleven minutes this afternoon. The charming and beautiful Susan is talking about going for fifteen minutes tomorrow.

At physical therapy when she stood in this, she freaked out. But she did well here at the house. She had fun standing playing with toys and gabbing at us.

Saturday, June 13, 2009

You can't be God, but there are characteristics God possesses that you can adopt, practice, and become a part of who you are.

I clipped the following from Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Connection where he challenges dad's to take on the task of pointing our kids to God.

What is God really like? • God is caring. • God is close and aware of the details. • God is consistent. • God is competent.

Some of us may be naturally better at a few of these, but none of us does them all as a part of our nature. They are things that have to be put into practice over and over and then we'll do them as second nature. We can't psyche ourselves up and work them like a fad diet or trendy workout. We have to adopt them and be them.

Friday, June 12, 2009

To grow, to be effective, to extend the Kingdom of God, you must be put to the test.

Fear of failure is strong. We actually do things to sabotage success. Maybe we fear success brings too much responsibility. Maybe you'll be expected to keep up with a standard of faith and practice you don't think you can sustain beyond your current zeal. Do you put more effort into avoiding failure than into being can-do oriented?

Maybe you think things are going too good and at any moment the rug is going to pulled out from beneath you. Do you have the self-destructive tendency to help your sabotage along? I know I do.

Samson comes to mind. What was that guy thinking? God hand picks him before He is conceived, his parents raise him right, God uses him incredibly, and he constantly sets himself up for failure. He went straight from miraculous victory to self-centered, self-destructive malfunction.

He picked fights that caused the death of loved ones. He dated a neurotic beauty queen bent figuring out a way to exploit his secret weakness. And Samson stayed with this woman.

And God used him.

It kind of gives me hope.

Be encouraged. God uses the small things of this world to confound the great, and the foolish things to confound the wise. I'm pretty sure He can work with you.

Sunday, June 07, 2009

There is one thing you can set your watch by around here and that's Grandma's daily visits. She's here every morning before work. This morning Grandma was here in time to help feed Allie. Allie ate half an avocado.

She wore the other half.

Usually, I'm the culprit in making Allie messy. It's nice to have someone else to blame for Allie's messiness. That is why I like Grandma so much.

Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Great news: the braces are coming off soon! At least during the day. Over the next month, Allie has been cleared for weight bearing exercise in physical therapy. And if Dancer Joan says it's okay, in a month Allie will have braces on the ankle and feet only.

At night, however, she'll have to wear the full HKAFO's. Her hips are mostly healed since the surgery, but the doc doesn't want her to lose any ground, so at night she'll have to stay in the full contraption. It keeps her legs open and her hamstrings stretched. This will give Allie the maximum use of her legs in the future. (We're not quite sure what "maximum use" is yet, but this will give her her best chance.)

We take her out of her braces for about an hour a day for exercise, a bath, and even a trip to the pool. She loves to have time out of her braces, but, believe it or not, she's also comfortable putting them back on. She's used to the support she gets from them.

Since the operation, she is much more comfortable in her stroller. Especially with the braces. They give added stability and she is able to stay in the stroller longer. Before her operation, her hips hurt since they were growing out-of-joint. But now, we roll out for a two mile walk over the Blue Heron Bridge every morning. It's time together we'll always treasure.

Monday, June 01, 2009

Are you thinking you're called to serve God on the foreign field? Do you have a heart for the children of Christian workers living and laboring in the Middle East? Are you a school teacher looking for the next task the Lord has for you to put your hand to?

Maybe you're the One called to teach at a co-op school for Missionary Kids in a country in the Middle East.